Fire extinguishing device



9v za H. HUTCHINSON FIRE EXTINGUISHING DEVICE Filed Jar). 29, 1931 Patented June 7, 1932 TES HAROLD HUTOHINSON, on LONDON, ENGLAND, AssIGNOB. TO G. x. SYNDICATE LIMITED, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, A BaITIsH ORGANIZATION FIRE EXTINGUISHING DEVICE hppjncarion med January 29, 1931, serial No. 512,171, and in Great Britain February 1s, 1930.

. The presentinvention relates to fire extinguishing pistols' from which a tire extinguishing `composition is ejected due to the y explosion of a propellant explosive and has l' for its object theprovision of such a pistol which has the :minimum of working parts, is easy to cock, not liable to be put `out of action, and I having its extinguishing composition i eiiiciently sealed against deterioration should 1d the said: composition have to remain `in the pistol :for a ilon'g `time before use.

Fire extinguishing pistols have hitherto been constructed in which a striker mounted coaxially with the .cartridge `is movable 16 manually to cocked position independently of the trigger Aa pivoted catch being providedto restrain the striker-from movement in eitherV of two positions,ithe said catch being adapted `to be rocked about its pivot to releasethe striker for operative movement `when the trigger is pressed. 1

`In such pistols the spindleon the'end of which .thestrker is carried has been ,pro`- vided with a handle by which the striker can be pulled back againstthe'action of a spring surrounding the spindle till the pivoted catch operates to holduthe Vstrikerv in cocked posi-V tion. In thisW arrangement -however .as it is necessary to provide :a strong spring to move the striker romcockingposition to the detonating capra great orcefis'required to cock the lpistol thus women 'have great difficulty 1n `using, thepistoh Moreover, the handle off the "striker extending from the .rear of. the device has thedisadvantage that in the event of `a sharp blow as by way of afall, the catch device fails to hold the `:striker and the charge is cau-sed to be exploded, and lire# quently the mechanism is broken. Furthermoretheeatch and trigger operation of the fra stri-ker `as. above descrrbednecessitates a largeV number fotseparately formed .parts being employed inthe detonatilng mechanism.

With'avliew to overcoming `the above mene Vtioned drawbacks according to the present invention the striker is carried on one arm i of a two" arilnedA lever which is restrained to bring the `striker on tothe detonator cap .or d, w the like'ffor detonatingvthe propellant exim" plosive by `a spring,fthe end of the `other Iarm ofthe lever engaging a pivoted trigger, when the lever is pulled back to cock the pistol, the lever then clearing the trigger which is thus permitted to move under the action of a spring orlike constraint so that whenthe lever is released its return movement is obstructed by the trigger and can be prevented by the engagement oi part ot' thetrigger with a fixed part or project-ion in the pistol casing. W'hen the trigger is pressed and moved suiiiciently 'against the action of the spring or like part constraining it, then the lever is released andthe striker is brought into detonating contact with the detonator cap and the pistol is thus fired. The part ofthe trig ger engaging the lever is preferably arcuate about thetrigger pivot so that there is no movement ot the lever upon movement of the trigger until the trigger clears the lever."

This enables a trigger to be used without connecting links for release and is believed to be a novel simplification of trigger release mechanism.

`Preferably the trigger spring is a weak one so that the trigger readily yields to pressure, and the lever spring must be a strong one, to produce the necessary momentum of thestriker required to detonate'the cartridge cap. Also a weak cushioning spring may be provided to keep the striker normally just clear of the cap.

The accompanying drawing shows the preferred embodiment of the invention.

-Inthe said drawing, Figure l is a sectional elevation of the improved pistol showing the trigger cocked, and Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure l but with the trigger uncocked or released.

Figure 3 is an end view of the pistol.

As shown, the mechanism is mounted in the usual pistol handle casing l, which may be provided with a renewable cartridge 2.

It will be seen that the preferred mechanism comprises a two armed lever 3 otflattened V-shape pivoted at 4i in the casing l immediately below the back end of the cart-V ridge 2. One arm 3a of the lever is about three times as long as the other arm 3b, and on the longer arm 3a; at about two thirds its distance from the pivot 4, is formed or otherwise applied the striker 5, while the shorter arm 3b is adapted to engage the trigger 6 as will be hereinafter more particularly described.

The main spring 7 for moving the striker to the cap 2a is secured to the shorter arm 3b of the lever near its tip and at a point 8 in the downward extension la of the casing 1, and is strong enough to impart the required momentum to the striker torenable the cap 2a to be discharged when the lever is released as hereinafter described. -A cushioning spring 9 is mounted on the lever pivot 4 (as shown) so that when the trigger 3 has been released the striker 5 is normally held clear of the location ofthe detonator cap 2a of the cartridge 2.

The tip of the arm 3a of lever 3, projects out of the casing 1 as shown at 30, and is fashioned as a iinger piece to provide a convenient cooking means. To permit the projection of the tip 3c the casing 1 is formed with an arcuate slot 10 in which the Vtip moves, the said slot being normally closed by an arcuate guard or dust cover 11 secured and carried on the tip just within the casing 2 at 12, so as to be able to rock on the tip as the lever 3 moves, such guard being sprung to conform to the radius ot the casing.

The trigger 6 is pivoted in the casing at 13, under the action of a weak spring 14 mounted about the trigger pivot, one end of which spring engages the casing while the other end v14o is hooked on the trigger normally to hold same in the position shown clearly in Y Figure 2. The trigger 6 is formed with a part 6a adapted to be pressed by the finger of the operator in. well known manner, and has an upwardly directed extension 6b which is formed with an arcuate face 6c which engages the end 3b of the 4lever 3 when the mchanism is cocked, and a downward extension 6d which engageson a part of the cas? ing 1 surrounding the trigger to limit the possible outward turning movement of the trigger. Y

The operation of the mechanism will be readily understood.

To Vcock the pistol the part 3a ,of the lever 3 is retracted, by pressing the linger piece 3c, whereupon the end of the arm 3b of thek lever passes over the face 6c of the trigger till it just clears the trigger, the trigger 6 moving slightly in a clockwise direction to allow the lever 3 to be thus moved. rlhe return spring 7 for the lever 3 is then extended and acts Von `the lever 3 which in turn re-engages on the trigger 6 at surface 6c tending to move the trigger in an anti-clockwise direction. The anti-clockwisemovement of the trigger is however limited bythe engagement ofthe abutment 6d of the trigger on the casing 1, Y

and consequently the pistol is held cocked. Upon pressing the trigger 6, after cooking, in the usual way with the finger at 6a the trigger lmoves in a clockwise direction till its end 60 just clears the trigger 6 allowing the same to move under the action'ofits return spring 7 to cause the striker to strike the detonator cap 2a of cartridge 2 which is thereby exploded. The striker 5 is subsequently held clear of the location of the cap 20: by means of the weak spring 9 acting on the lever 3.

It will be seen JfromV the arrangement described, that ovvinv to the distance of the tip 30 of the lever `3l Jtirom the pivot 4, being so great compared with the distance of the point of action ofV the main spring 7 on the lever from the pivot, only a small force will have to be exerted to cock the pistol. Further the movement ofthe trigger 6 is accomplished without great yeffortafter-cocking. The vpistol can thus Vbe readily used by a woman or by people whose strength Vis below normal.

The mechanism above d-escribedis preferably mounted Vin va fire extinguisher pistol handle of the usual form, which may, as already mentioned, be provided with'a renewable cartridge though I prefer not. simply to Hare and cap the ldischarge end 2b of the cartridge as is usual but to provide the Aend with a grooved or expanded part (as shown at 2c in the drawing) close to the discharge end into which portion is rst inserted a Waterproofed disc, which is then covered with a liquid or semi-plastic Waterproof composition and allowed to set Vafter which al second disc is pressed intoI the expanded or grooved part, thediscs as well as thewaterproof compositioniffprezterably entirely filling up the enlarged or grooved area, the latter vdisc lbeing covered with a thin sheet'of metal foil, andV enamel.

This sealing arrangement is preferred be# cause the cap seal above described having no restraining obstruction has been Joundfin practice under certain conditions to work loose. The improved seal is positivev and more eiiicient in action. n Y 7 It will beseen that the firing mechanism provided according to my invention'comprises only two members pivoted in the pistol casing as against ten -or eleven members usually required in the mechanism previously employed, and for this reason an arranges ment according to the invention is simpler and cheaper to manufacture than is theknown mechanism. Y l y It is to be clearly understood that my invention canV be embodied Ainarrangements, other than the preferred embodiment above described and I wish it to be understood that this particular description is not torbe interpreted restrictively. Y

Having thus described United States is Y 1. Fire extinguishing pistol with striker Vmechanism disposed in .a casingand operaj tive to strike a detonator cap to propel a lire extinguishing composition, the said mechanism comprlslng a two-armed lever pivoted in the casing, the tip of one arm projecting spring operating on through the casing, a weak spring fitted to said pivot to normally hold the lever in a predetermined position, and a. spiral main the lower arm of the two-armed lever with a substantially straight pull When the lever is cocked.

2. Fire extinguishing pistol with striking mechanism disposed in a casing and opera- Vtive to strike a detonator cap to propel a fire extinguishing composition, the said mechanism including a two-armed pivoted lever, a striker on one arm, a main spring normally pulling the other arm, and a Weak spring arranged to hold the striker arm with the striker just clear of the detonator cap, When the two-armed lever is in the uncooked position With the main spring only slightly loaded.

3. Fire extinguishing pistol With striking mechanism disposed in a casing at the butt end of a barrel adapted to receive a detonating device to propel a fire-extinguishing composition, the said mechanism including a tvvoarmed pivoted lever, a striker on one arm Which extends through a slot in Said casing, a main spring normally pulling the other arm, a Weak spring arranged to hold the striker arm With the striker just clear of the detonator cap, when the two-armed lever is in the uncooked position with the main spring only slightly loaded, and a cover slidable in i the said casing and carried by the striker arm to cover the aforesaid casing slot.

In testimony vvhereor` I have aixed my signature.

HAROLD HUTCHINSON. 

